The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1887-01-20
A MORMON FAMILY.

a MORMON FAMILY.
The Trial OF Bishop FAR for vlo-
lating tho Antl.Polygamy.
Law-Hls Bevy OF Wives
and Olive Branches.
Being interested in anything that
would be entertaining to the reading
public, The Chicago Times correspond
emit while crossing the continent stop
ped off at Ogden. Utah. for five days to
visit the federal courtroom where the
polygamy cases were being tried. The
first case was that of Bishop Lorin
Farr, who had taken the responsibility
of marrying five wives and raising five
families. Farr was a harmless-l looking
old man. yet there was crafty look
in his eyes which betokened the fact
that he knew Better than to defy the
law, and to the gentiles he was known
as a ''bleed'' of the church-one of the
Mormon elders who were on the right
side of the fence as far as his pocket
book was concerned-in other words
''in the ring"
Farr was man of possibly Is years
old, thin 10 almost attenuation, long,
sharp nose, retreating forehead. bald
head. with what little hair he had
combed forward over his ears. and his
neck adorned with a pair of ':sloggers"
that would have done justice to late
importation from County Kerry.
The counting-room was crowded q
half hour before court convened, and
it was with some difficulty that the
prosecuted polygamist could pilot his
five wives to the seats reserved for the
witnesses. And such wives! He had
probably been punished sufficiently if
he had married and lived with them
all.
No. l was 60 years old. and had the
appearance of good old New England
grandmother, her round face and
benevolent look seemingly out of place
among the motley crowd.
No. 2, so years old, had the appear
ance of an old ancient maiden lady
whose propensities run in the millinery
line and who affected cork-screw
curls and alconglomeration of color in
dress and bonnet that would have made
kaleidoscope turn green with jealousy.
No. 8. 40 years old, looked like
washwoman off for Sunday picnic,
her face shining with plentiful appli-
cation of soap and rubbing. Her
avoirdupois was wonderful to behold,
and her squat appearance was some
thing that once seen would never be
forgotten. She displayed self-satis-
fed air, and evidently considered her.
self a coquette, as she smirked and
bowed to several Mormon acquaint-
ances in the vicinity as though she
we're at a ball instead of the tribunal of
justice.
No. 4, SO years old, was very sober
and sedate in her manner, dressed in
black alpaca, with Scotch plaid
shawl about her shoulders and a bunch
of cotton sticking in each ear. She
wore poke bonnet with a green feath-
or and red ribbons, and from the COM
placent air with which she spread her
dress and clasped her hands together,
it struck me that she either considered
herself better than the rest or else that
she was the favored wife.
No. 5, who sat next the wall. was a
giddy young thing of 80. whose face
wore continual smile and nose that
would have done credit to a prizefght-
er. She was Danish woman, and her
blonde hair contrasted strangely with
the white gray and hay color of her
colleagues. She was the alleged favor
tie wife, and as such was dressed more
fashionably than the others, though a
fashionable woman in Mormondom is
about twenty years behind the times as
far as the modes 60.
1t was quite study of character to
weigh these women in a mental bal
ance. individuality there was none
nothing but a stolid Indifference to
their surroundings that showed their
sincerity in their belief. Not one OF
these women had an education that
could be compared to an year-old
schoolgirl. and their testimony on the
witness-stand showed them to be little,
If cny, above barbarians.
Elder Farr, being placed on the stand,
acknowledged to having married these
women at different times. When asked
how many children he had. he replied
that he didn't exactly know, but could
tell by counting them up. but thought
they would average about eighteen to
each family He was asked if he knew
that he was violating the constitution
of the United States in living and car
ing for more than one wife. He replied:
Il skursely think that l be. When that
air Edmunds lawr come out we talked
about it and tried to live within it. I
give up home for the wimmen folks
and kept one to myself and one wife"
The wives were one by one put up
on the stand, and had evidently been
taught their lesson we'll. as they cor
roborated every thing the old man had
said. except at times when their men,
DRY very conveniently failed them The
eldest and first wife told a very straight
forward story of the heart-ache she un-
derwent when Mr.. Farr was sealed to
his second wife. but as it was a divine
revelation to Joseph Smith. their
prophet. she accepted the situation,
and tried to raise up the family in the
way they should go. under tho tenets
of the Mormon church.
The second wife testified that when
she married Farr she thought it was all
right, cas- everybody was gittin mar
ried in Their same way" and she didn't
see why othcr ,<nonla could,,t loovo